The most popular and photogenic view of Durham Cathedral and Castle is adjacent to one of the wiers spanning the River Wear.

The River Wear provides some 1800m of river that can be rowed on, stretching from Old Durham Beck in the east to the wier next to Durham School Boat Club's boat house in the west . This includes the 700m straight used for most of the Durham Regatta - the premier rowing event in the North East of England, held each year on the second weekend in June.